Claims game’s $30,000 top prize
A retired construction worker’s $30,000 Peppermint Payout! scratch-off win created a festive “Christmas-in-April” vibe among the Lottery staff who guided the Springdale man through the prize-claiming and Winner’s Circle celebration process.
The loyal player said he buys at least one Lottery game every day. Sometimes, he will select an instant ticket, sometimes a daily game and sometimes Powerball or Mega Millions tickets.
Lottery luck was certainly with him last week when he stopped by Casa Blanca Sunoco in Silver Spring. First, he arrived at the right Lottery retailer at the right time to make his purchase. Next, it turned out he was in the mood to buy a scratch-off. And, he chose the holiday-themed Peppermint Payout! scratch-off that contained a top prize.
“I don’t know why I picked this one,” he said. “I suppose it was just one that I had not bought for a while.”
When the Prince George’s County resident scratched off his $3 Peppermint Payout! instant ticket at home, he was amazed. He didn’t believe it when he saw the match that promised a $30,000 prize.
“I’ve played these for so long that I never thought I’d win something that big. Every once in a while, I get a $50 win, $100, even $500, but $30,000!” The 71-year-old said he lost count of how many times he went back over the instant ticket, searching for an error. “I fully expected to find that I’d made a mistake reading it, but it was $30,000 every time.”
The retiree plans to put his winnings in the bank. The management at Casa Blanca Sunoco, where he bought the game, also has a bonus coming its way. The gas station, located at 8875 Piney Branch Road in Silver Spring, earns a $300 bonus from the Lottery for selling a $30,000 top-prize winning scratch-off.
